At the time, it was assumed that cholera was airborne. However, Dr John Snow did not accept this 'miasma' (bad air) theory, arguing that in fact entered the body through the mouth. He published his ideas in an essay 'On the Mode of Communication of Cholera' in 1849. A few years later, Snow was able to prove his theory in dramatic circumstances. In August 1854 a cholera outbreak occurred in Soho. After careful investigation, including plotting cases of cholera on a map of the area, Snow was able to identify a water pump in Broad (now Broadwick) Street as the source of the disease. He had the handle of the pump removed, and cases of cholera immediately began to diminish. However, Snow's 'germ' theory of disease was not widely accepted until the 1860s.

The Victorians knew that this was the start of a brave new world, and spared no expense in showing how seriously they took this new discovery. Papplewick is a monument to the Victorian Engineer and the pride they took in bringing clean fresh water to all. What is interesting is that with clean water came Polio, but that's another story.